The Hairiest month of the year is here. Are you taking the Movember Challenge?

Every November, Irish men join forces with fellow men-folk around the world and bravely join the men’s health movement by growing a moustache for charity. This simple act raises awareness and much needed funds for programmes focusing on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, poor mental health and physical inactivity.

A Gamble in the Looks Department

For the beardy beloved among you Movember conjures up images of looking like cultural icons such as Tom Selleck; and no doubt you are relishing the opportunity to proudly wear your newfound symbol of manliness in support of a very worthwhile cause.

Movember has grown from 30 Mo Bros in 2003 to over 5 million Mo Bros and Mo Sistas to date.

But for others who have (or who have not yet) publically declared to their friends and family that they are taking part; fear might shortly take over! You start to wonder how you will look with this new rather prominent facial feature. While we understand it’s a bit of a gamble in terms of looks, in this case, it’s definitely worth the risk – to support the Movember cause. To help you keep your moustache in tip-top shape lavishman.ie shares our top 4 moustache grooming tips.

1. Choose Your Look: As the number of hairs between your nose and upper lip begin to increase you realise you need to take action and start shaping it. As the Movember foundation style guide outlines below there are a number of different looks to choose from.

Personal preference certainly has a role to play in choosing your favourite moustache but also bear in mind things like how fast and consistent your hair growth is, as well as how much effort you want to put into styling your Mo each morning.

Our advice, if you are struggling to grow a moustache or you have patchy facial hair, is to choose the ‘wisp’ style. Due to its thin outline shape it’s easier to grow and maintain. But don’t underestimate the allure of this style as it was often the style of choice by the man they called the ‘King of Hollywood’. So wear it with pride this Movember.

If on the other hand you experience rapid hair growth, and you are up for a bit of a challenge you could aim for the ‘The Connoisseur’. To maintain this look make sure to use a strong wax or pomade to maintain the end loops. This head turner will definitely be one to share and grab people’s attention on your Instagram & Facebook accounts.

Tom Selleck’s ‘Regent’ moustache is one of the most iconic styles and is sure to send much admiration your way. But if you want to limit upkeep, and it’s your first time growing a moustache ‘The Box Car’ is quite similar to this look but requires less attention to maintain.

2. Invest in a few essentials: Once you have chosen your style there are definitely a few items you should consider using as part of your daily grooming regime.

Firstly you will need a trimmer to shape the look, and to refine it even further you will need to call on your trusty trimming scissors. Both good investments if you don’t already have them in your grooming toolkit. Before trimming always be sure to dampen your moustache hair – but tread carefully as hair always seems longer when wet! You have been warned.

A fine-toothed comb will help you to rein in any strays and will help you to restrain it while you are trimming your mo.

3. Tame the Beast: Unless you want to sport an unattractive fuzzy upper lip especially if you are going for one of the more daring looks; investing in a pot of Moustache Wax is a very wise idea.

4.As a Bare Minimum: Remember to nurture your mo and wash it daily. Use what you normally use to wash your face or if you really want to treat yourself invest in a good beard soap. This daily act is a necessity that people won’t thank you for if you ignore. Food particles are bound to get caught in your mo no matter how careful you are. Approach some food and drinks with special care like beer, wine, cappuccino’s and other frothy types along with all spaghetti meals!

One final note to remember is that as your moustache begins to take shape it may feel a bit awkward at first; and you may experience some itching. Remember to ignore this, be brave and support the cause.